The Three Dog Knights -- Newport Trio Faces Challenge In Puyallup's Record-Setting Qb

Remember the last time the Newport High School football team played at the Kingdome?

Remember Curtis? Remember air?

Lots of air.

The Knights remember - although they'd rather forget.

"That Curtis quarterback (Brian Jenson) had an unbelievable game," Newport Coach Dan Holden said. "But we could have had our defensive backs do a better job.

"That's where we had problems."

Jenson completed 9 of 11 passes for 211 yards and three touchdowns as Curtis beat Newport 30-14 in the 1990 Class AAA state title game.

Tomorrow the Knights (12-0) return to Kingbowl. This time, the air will come in gale-force gusts from the state's top passing team, the Darren Erath-led Puyallup Vikings (12-0).

"I'd be crazy not to be concerned with his passing ability," said Newport's Kevin Gregory, a senior defensive back. "We're really going to get tested."

Tested, maybe. But the Knights appear to have found the answer to their defensive air sickness:

Gregory, Kevin Lombardo and Ben Kaiser.

Newport's Three Dog Knights.

As in retrievers.

The senior defensive backs have 12 of Newport's school-record 22 interceptions this season and are the biggest defensive reasons for hope against Erath - a senior who has more career passing yards (4,599) than either of his last two Puyallup predecessors, Damon Huard (4,268) and Billy Joe Hobert (4,532).

"We're certainly taking it very seriously," said Lombardo, who led the KingCo Conference with seven interceptions this season. "Our practices have been really intense this week."

So have Newport's defenders this season - especially in the playoffs. The Knights have seven interceptions in three playoff games, Kaiser and linebacker Joe Grzetic tied with two apiece.

"I can't think of a better secondary we've had here," said Holden, who became the head coach this season after 22 years as a Newport assistant. "I can't think of kids that are as fast as this group."

Fast. All three run the 40-yard dash in 4.8 seconds or faster. By contrast, the 1990 Newport finalist had a safety whose 40 speed was 5.3.

"We put him back 18 yards," Gary Tally, the Knights' eighth-year defensive backs coach, said of the '90 leadfoot. "But I don't think 40 times mean that much. What matters is how fast they are in pads. And these guys don't get much slower with pads on."

They also can leap. Gregory and Kaiser, both 6-foot-1, compete in the triple jump and long jump for Newport's varsity track team.

"And K.J. (the 5-7 Lombardo) has a great vertical jump," Holden said.

They also have a capable passing offense to practice against for the first time in years. One season after the Knights' wishbone offense didn't cross the 100-yard passing mark in 11 games combined, Newport has passed for 724 yards in 12 games.

The last time the Knights passed for as many yards in a season was in 1967, the year the team set the school interception record (19) that this year's team broke.

"In the past when we put out a scout team, it was pretty shaky," Taller said.

Tomorrow, they'll face the state's best. Erath has completed 147 of 262 passes for 2,177 yards and 23 touchdowns this season.

"We're going to give up some passing yards. That's nothing new," Taller said. "Our main goal is, `Let's keep them out of the end zone and get some turnovers out of them.' "

Toward that end, there appears some hope in another of Erath's numbers. He has thrown 14 interceptions this season after 16 last year.

"I personally think we're going to do pretty well against them," Lombardo said. "But I'm not taking anything for granted."

KINGBOWL XVI / Class AAA

Puyallup vs. Newport

-- WHAT - Class AAA state football championship game.

-- WHERE/WHEN - Kingdome, Saturday, 8 p.m.

-- NICKNAMES - Puyallup Vikings; Newport Knights.

-- COACHES - Puyallup, Mike Huard, 12th year (134-74); Newport, Dan Holden, first season as head coach after 22 as Newport assistant. . -- SEASONS:

. Puyallup (12-0) Newport (12-0). . . 31 Kentwood 7 14 Woodinville 7. . 34 Marysville 12 37 Inglemoor 12. . 21 Bethel 6 13 Juanita 0. . 35 Sumner 7 24 Bothell 6. . 27 Lakes 17 22 Bellevue 14. . 42 Clover Park 3 20 Mercer Island 14. . 26 Curtis (OT) 25 33 Sammamish 6. . 13 Spanaway Lake 0 28 Issaquah 14. . 19 Rogers-Puyallup 7 42 Interlake 20. . 35 Woodinville # 10 24 South Kitsap # 16. . 49 North Thurston # 22 35 Kentwood # 7. . 35 Kennewick # 27 17 Auburn # 7. .

# -playoff games. . -- KINGBOWL HISTORY - Puyallup is making its second straight playoff appearance and seventh in nine seasons. Vikings have been to Kingbowl twice before, winning 1987 state title and losing 14-7 to Cascade in AAA final last year. Newport has made the playoffs four straight seasons, compiling a 7-3 playoff record in that span. Knights played in Kingbowl once, losing 30-14 to Curtis in 1990 AAA title game.

-- PUYALLUP PLAYERS TO WATCH - Quarterback Darren Erath (6-0, 178, sr.) is state's top Class AAA passer with 2,177 yards. He has completed 147 of 262 passes with 23 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Receiver Brett McDaniel (5-10, 163, sr.), naturally, is state's top receiver with 59 catches for 898 yards and 10 TDs. Running back Ricky Danley (5-8, 159, sr.) became Puyallup's first 1,000-yard rusher in Mike Huard's 12 seasons with the Vikings when he ran for 93 yards against Kennewick in the semifinals. He has 1,070 yards on 158 carries (6.8 average) and 11 TDs. Linebacker Chuck Bowers (5-11, 183, jr.) leads team with eight tackles for loss and 107 overall. Linebacker Kelly Hansen (6-3, 226, sr.) has 110 tackles, five for loss.

-- NEWPORT PLAYERS TO WATCH - Running back Chris Dixon (6-1, 182, jr.) leads Knights with 996 yards on 135 carries (7.4 average) and has 12 rushing touchdowns. Wishbone quarterback Tom Wagner (6-0, 185, jr.) has 767 yards on 114 carries (6.7) with eight TDs. He also has completed 26 of 51 passes for 724 yards and nine more touchdowns (only four interceptions). Nate McAtee (6-5, 222, sr.) is only two-way starter. At fullback, McAtee has 509 yards on 87 carries (5.9) and five TDs. As defensive end, he has 16 tackles for loss, including seven sacks. Defensive back Kevin Lombardo (5-7, 143, sr.) leads team with seven interceptions, one short of school record. Linebacker Mike Kim (5-8, 173, sr.) has four.

-- FAST FACT - Newport has trailed in seven of 12 games this season, including two of three playoff games. . . .Knights have seven interceptions in three playoff games and have set school record with 22 this season. . . .Puyallup QB Erath more career passing yards (4,599) than either of his two Washington-signed predecessors, Damon Huard (4,268), and Billy Joe Hobert (4,532).

----------------------------------------. PICKIN' AND WINNIN'.

-- The Newport High defense broke a 25-year-old school record this season with 22 interceptions (old record: 19) on the way to Kingbowl XVI. Interceptions by player: . . Player Yr. Pos. Int. . Kevin Lombardo Sr. DB 7 # . . Mike Kim Sr. LB 4. . Ben Kaiser Sr. DB 3. . Zeth Donahue Sr. LB 2. . Kevin Gregory Sr. DB 2. . Joe Grzetic Jr. LB 2. . Dave Pennington Sr. LB 1. . Todd Johnson Jr. DB 1. .

# -One short of school record.